Saturday, July 13, 2013

What I Found... At Farmer's Market

I live in a little town.  The population here is well under 5,000.  I've always lived in and around this area and only occasionally do I wish I was somewhere bigger.  There are times when I wish there was something open after midnight, besides one lone gas station (especially since I work second shift).  But, for the most part, it's okay.  We have a grocery store.  We have a WalMart (which I count as a pro and a con).  We have a couple fast food places and plenty of gas stations so you can fill up if you decide to make a pilgrimage to the nearest metropolis- which will take a good hour to reach.

It's small here, but there's some things that are just as good here as at any big city.  We have an awesome library with a beautiful view.  Sometimes I just go there to read magazines.  It's so nice to have people around you, yet still enjoy the silence that a library provides.  We have some really awesome hiking and walking trails that I don't take advantage of as nearly as often as I should.  And we have a great farmers' market.

I grow some veggies on my deck, but I can find just about anything that will grow in Wisconsin at the farmer's market, not to mention lots of hand crafted things.  It's only open Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings, so I got up today and headed out.  It's only about six blocks from my house, it was a gorgeous breezy, sunny day, so I walked.

Here's what I found.

All my purchases that I lugged home on foot.




I got a Hen and Chicks plant  for one of my friends.  The sweet lady selling them recommended this one because it already has a lot of chicks.





Some homemade soy candles for someone selling sheep cheese, sheep milk soaps and organic sheep and beef meat.


Some snow peas for stir fry.



Homemade Kim Chee.  The mild was still a little spicy for me, but very good.  It's kind of like saurkraut but only crispier and with other veggies mixed it.  It's a Korean treat and very tasty.  The woman selling it was giving out samples at the market.  I also got a cup of organic coffee to sip on while I shopped.  Also very tasty.

 


A photographer was selling prints and greeting cards featuring her pictures.  Of course I had to get some.  I love snail mail.  The ones I picked featured Split Rock Lighthouse, which is located about three and a half hours north of here.  I've been there in the fall and it is a beautiful site.  This card shows it in the winter.  Also, a card with some delphiniums.  I always love cottage flowers like lupines, hollyhocks, foxgloves, and delphiniums.  The bottom one I'm not sure of, maybe Queen Anne's Lace or something similar.  It's very muted colors and just gorgeous.



And a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers.  Here's a close up of some of the beauties.


I spent way more than I was intending to, but there's plenty more that I resisted, like honey, handmade bath salts, homemade breads, fresh pastries, jams, birdhouses, and strawberries.  Plus, I really believe in supporting local and independent sellers.  I'd rather give them my money than WalMart any day.  We have a short growing season here in Wisconsin, so we haven't even hit the peak time yet, as far as fruits and veggies go.  Once we do, I'll be hauling home sweet corn, potatoes and green beans!




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